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Volcano Near Tokyo Causes Falling Ash

Posted on: Monday, 2 February 2009, 12:10 CST

Japan’s Mount Asama volcano erupted early Monday sending plumes of smoke more than one mile into the air and spreading ash over parts of Tokyo.

So far, officials have reported no injuries related to the eruption that occurred just 90 miles northwest of the capital city.
Ash was detected over a wide area, including central Tokyo and as far as eastern Chiba.

The volcano previously erupted in August 2008. No major damage was reported during that blast either.

Many residents were puzzled about the “mysterious white powder” they spotted falling from the sky . Some mistook it for snow, while others phoned in reports of a nearby blaze to local fire departments due to the falling ash.

"Some people said they heard a strange noise in the morning when the eruption occurred," said Noboru Yanagishi, town official of Karuizawa, which lies southeast of the volcano.

In Tachikawa, a district in northwestern Tokyo, some farming areas were coated with ash.

"Because it's February and not harvesting season, there was no real damage to any crops," Shoichi Matsumoto, a local official, told AP.
The last time Mount Asama caused noticeable damage was in September 2004, when ash fell in areas causing damage to local crops.
An eruption in 1783 cause massive damage and killed about 1,500 people.

With 108 active volcanoes, Japan is among the most seismically busy countries in the world. The country lies in the "Ring of Fire" — a series of volcanoes and fault lines that outline the Pacific Ocean.


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Source: redOrbit staff

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